"The red sky lasted less than a day, Vartran," Antillia chides gently. "Surely someone lost in their studies would have missed it! A few hours isn't even an eyeblink to our elven friends."
"But yes, Hadrien. A dragon appeared over the skies of Kessid a few months back, circled a few times, and flew northbound. What it was looking for, no on is sure. It didn't attack though... but it -was- rather big. Exciting yet frightening..."
"And Lillyvon? Lady Orchester? Oh I know her! Such a very... vivacious young woman," Tilly says with a diplomatic smile. "She was at Lady Gosler's wedding with Reggie and I. I really should write to her and see how she is getting along. I didn't know she was with you when fighting the dragon. Last time I saw her I think Baron Von Schlactenflussen was giving her lessons in theoretical necromancy..."
Reginald approaches the table carrying a try of food, a goblet for Tilly, and a mug for himself. "Sorry for the delay, we had a bit of bother with the bill. It seems that Tina burned something nasty into the floor of the room and I had to make arrangements to have it repaired. And where she found ink of that colour I'll never know." He might have winked at Tilly with that last remark, or it might have just been the lighting.
"And Lady Orchester does seem to be fascinated by a good many subjects. But let's not forget why we're here. With all the talk of late of dragons and the possibility of undead we must remember our main goal is to find the reason behind the supply problems plaguing Irroquin and her neighbors."
Looking towards Vartran "I can only hope that dragons had nothing to do with it. Milgroos gave me hope that not all of their kind were like Abbydon. As for the situation in Lindora, that I fear may be a more likely reason. Lindora has always been known for very productive farmlands, and many people count on their exports. If things are as bad as the stories make them out to be..." He looks toward Tilly as the last thought trails away.
Faydin frowns. "Master Vartran, I will have you know that I ne'er rode within a wagon. Most of my arcane learning came from my Grandmother Yliriel, a strict teacher who believed that distractions could not be afforded while she taught, this would extend to current events. To raise one's eyes from the various scrolls or books she placed in front of us would be a death sentence," a little of his jovial air was gone, replaced by a slight bite in his tone," Further more when she did speak of the Dragons she only told me thus, that they are servants of the gods and are just as powerful as a storm or a volcano."
Faydin breathed deeply to regain composure, then he was handed a book from Vartran. The magician raised an eyebrow, but then took the book from him his curiosity getting the better of him. He flipped it open to the first page as he added his tone was bright again, "My grandmother Yliriel held her lessons in deep places where we could not hear birds sing or see any light other than what she magiked."
It was not long before Faydin had become enveloped in the book he was reading forgetting completely about his own scrolls, candles and crystals. Almost unaware of all other conversation around him.
Hadrian looks up at the just-arrived Reginald. "As a matter of fact, Sir Dragonseeker, 'Why we're here' is exactly what we were talking about just moments before you got here. Vartran is in it for the gold. Faydin is an advance-scout for the elven nation. And Tilly is here for...other reasons?" says Hadrian with a suggestive lilt in his voice and a glance towards the armored knight of Farnesworth. "As for why I'm here, it's anyone's guess why I do the things I do."
Hadrian then looks around the dining hall. "Where is that niece of yours, Tilly? We've a master of the mystic arts here in our company," he says motioning towards Faydin, "and yet your young apprentice is nowhere to be seen. She's never going to amount of any kind of mage with those study habits, or so I've heard." And he mumbles to himself so quiet you almost miss it, "Heard again and again and again..."
Antillia shakes her head gently as she takes the goblet from Reginald. "Cousin, Hadrien. Scarlettina is my aunt's daughter. Really though, Reggie? It was probably Shvorin's Third Circle of Power, knowing her." She tsks to herself. "She's here because her mother wants her well away from Karandia. Aunt Erminitrude is dead set in believing some librarian is going rogue and wants to use some of the older families as hostages against -something-." Tilly lowers her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I think she's going dotty from all the fumes in her laboratory..."
Her soft voice raises again. "I'm here, though, because I've already seen what the first stages of this food shortage can do to the people in Irriquin. It can only get worse and I want to prevent it. If I can help, I will. But Scarlet? She just wants to be left alone. Some teenage phase of hers... This whole trip is an ordeal for her."
Hadrian laughs, and repeats Tilly's words as he shakes his head, "Teenage phase...I knew there was something about Scar that I liked. She reminds me of someone I used to know at her age." He raises his hot mug again in a toast. "To Karandian mages and Karandian mothers -- two things this world can do with less of," he says with a smile, then takes a careful and satisfying sip of his drink.
"What do you say there, Faydin," says Hadrian to the mage across the table from him. Hadrian kicks the table leg to get the elf's attention from out of the book he's lost himself in. "Got some tricks you can teach Tilly's young cousin? Show her some of that elven glamour. That's the real thing, isn't it? Not that entrails and cauldron stuff they're teaching in Karandia."
Faydin jumped a little at the noise and shot a glance at the maker of the noise. Closing the book he smiled,"Of course! I would be happy to teach her a charm or two, its much more free spirited than what I've heard of the Karadian institutions, it might lighten her up a bit," The elf smiled broadened into what could be thought of as a fae-ish grin, "Plus glamours are always fun to play on the dull witted," and impish twinkle sparkled in the elf's eyes.
"No, no, no," Antillia chides. "Please don't encourage her! Her mother will be very upset if she comes home speaking elven and enchanting the servants." She hrmphs as she stabs her fork into her plate of eggs. "Scarlettina actually quite advanced for a girl her age. Runs in the family. She just doesn't like to interact socially with others so you don't know it."
"Well, it would encourage her to learn more, maybe even socailize more?" Faydin asked, the impish twinkle not yet having left his eyes, "a choice glamour can save a life, or even your own." The elf handed the book back to Vartran," That was a interesting volume, you'll have to enlighten me more about these Dragons of the Covenant some time on our travels."
Antillia, who can't respond to that with any logical reply, falls back on wrinkling her nose and eating her breakfast. The observant may notice she's entirely ignored Reginald's comment about how bad the stories about Lindora may be.
"But yes, Hadrien. A dragon appeared over the skies of Kessid a few months back, circled a few times, and flew northbound. What it was looking for, no on is sure. It didn't attack though... but it -was- rather big. Exciting yet frightening..."
"And Lillyvon? Lady Orchester? Oh I know her! Such a very... vivacious young woman," Tilly says with a diplomatic smile. "She was at Lady Gosler's wedding with Reggie and I. I really should write to her and see how she is getting along. I didn't know she was with you when fighting the dragon. Last time I saw her I think Baron Von Schlactenflussen was giving her lessons in theoretical necromancy..."
Reginald approaches the table carrying a try of food, a goblet for Tilly, and a mug for himself. "Sorry for the delay, we had a bit of bother with the bill. It seems that Tina burned something nasty into the floor of the room and I had to make arrangements to have it repaired. And where she found ink of that colour I'll never know." He might have winked at Tilly with that last remark, or it might have just been the lighting.
"And Lady Orchester does seem to be fascinated by a good many subjects. But let's not forget why we're here. With all the talk of late of dragons and the possibility of undead we must remember our main goal is to find the reason behind the supply problems plaguing Irroquin and her neighbors."
Looking towards Vartran "I can only hope that dragons had nothing to do with it. Milgroos gave me hope that not all of their kind were like Abbydon. As for the situation in Lindora, that I fear may be a more likely reason. Lindora has always been known for very productive farmlands, and many people count on their exports. If things are as bad as the stories make them out to be..." He looks toward Tilly as the last thought trails away.
Faydin frowns. "Master Vartran, I will have you know that I ne'er rode within a wagon. Most of my arcane learning came from my Grandmother Yliriel, a strict teacher who believed that distractions could not be afforded while she taught, this would extend to current events. To raise one's eyes from the various scrolls or books she placed in front of us would be a death sentence," a little of his jovial air was gone, replaced by a slight bite in his tone," Further more when she did speak of the Dragons she only told me thus, that they are servants of the gods and are just as powerful as a storm or a volcano."
Faydin breathed deeply to regain composure, then he was handed a book from Vartran. The magician raised an eyebrow, but then took the book from him his curiosity getting the better of him. He flipped it open to the first page as he added his tone was bright again, "My grandmother Yliriel held her lessons in deep places where we could not hear birds sing or see any light other than what she magiked."
It was not long before Faydin had become enveloped in the book he was reading forgetting completely about his own scrolls, candles and crystals. Almost unaware of all other conversation around him.
Hadrian looks up at the just-arrived Reginald. "As a matter of fact, Sir Dragonseeker, 'Why we're here' is exactly what we were talking about just moments before you got here. Vartran is in it for the gold. Faydin is an advance-scout for the elven nation. And Tilly is here for...other reasons?" says Hadrian with a suggestive lilt in his voice and a glance towards the armored knight of Farnesworth. "As for why I'm here, it's anyone's guess why I do the things I do."
Hadrian then looks around the dining hall. "Where is that niece of yours, Tilly? We've a master of the mystic arts here in our company," he says motioning towards Faydin, "and yet your young apprentice is nowhere to be seen. She's never going to amount of any kind of mage with those study habits, or so I've heard." And he mumbles to himself so quiet you almost miss it, "Heard again and again and again..."
Antillia shakes her head gently as she takes the goblet from Reginald. "Cousin, Hadrien. Scarlettina is my aunt's daughter. Really though, Reggie? It was probably Shvorin's Third Circle of Power, knowing her." She tsks to herself. "She's here because her mother wants her well away from Karandia. Aunt Erminitrude is dead set in believing some librarian is going rogue and wants to use some of the older families as hostages against -something-." Tilly lowers her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "I think she's going dotty from all the fumes in her laboratory..."
Her soft voice raises again. "I'm here, though, because I've already seen what the first stages of this food shortage can do to the people in Irriquin. It can only get worse and I want to prevent it. If I can help, I will. But Scarlet? She just wants to be left alone. Some teenage phase of hers... This whole trip is an ordeal for her."
Hadrian laughs, and repeats Tilly's words as he shakes his head, "Teenage phase...I knew there was something about Scar that I liked. She reminds me of someone I used to know at her age." He raises his hot mug again in a toast. "To Karandian mages and Karandian mothers -- two things this world can do with less of," he says with a smile, then takes a careful and satisfying sip of his drink.
"What do you say there, Faydin," says Hadrian to the mage across the table from him. Hadrian kicks the table leg to get the elf's attention from out of the book he's lost himself in. "Got some tricks you can teach Tilly's young cousin? Show her some of that elven glamour. That's the real thing, isn't it? Not that entrails and cauldron stuff they're teaching in Karandia."
Faydin jumped a little at the noise and shot a glance at the maker of the noise. Closing the book he smiled,"Of course! I would be happy to teach her a charm or two, its much more free spirited than what I've heard of the Karadian institutions, it might lighten her up a bit," The elf smiled broadened into what could be thought of as a fae-ish grin, "Plus glamours are always fun to play on the dull witted," and impish twinkle sparkled in the elf's eyes.
"No, no, no," Antillia chides. "Please don't encourage her! Her mother will be very upset if she comes home speaking elven and enchanting the servants." She hrmphs as she stabs her fork into her plate of eggs. "Scarlettina actually quite advanced for a girl her age. Runs in the family. She just doesn't like to interact socially with others so you don't know it."
"Well, it would encourage her to learn more, maybe even socailize more?" Faydin asked, the impish twinkle not yet having left his eyes, "a choice glamour can save a life, or even your own." The elf handed the book back to Vartran," That was a interesting volume, you'll have to enlighten me more about these Dragons of the Covenant some time on our travels."
Antillia, who can't respond to that with any logical reply, falls back on wrinkling her nose and eating her breakfast. The observant may notice she's entirely ignored Reginald's comment about how bad the stories about Lindora may be.
Cont'd
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